Clerical garment and method of making same



M. HOLLINGER ETAL 3,393,405

CAL GARMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME I July 23, 1968 CLERI 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22, 1966 INVENTORS MORTON HOLLlNGER EUGENE HOLLINGER MAX HOLLINGER.

Sporrow and Spunow ATTORNEYS.

July 23, 1968 M. HOLLINGER ETAL 3,393,405

CLERICAL GARMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed March 22, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 aj Frs l FIG.I8

9 INVENTOR.

MORTON HOLLINGER, EUGENE HOLLINGER, MAX HOLLINGER'.

b Spurrow and Sparrow ATTORNEYS.

July 23, 1968 M. HOLLINGER ET AL CLERICAL GARMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 22, 1966 FIG.22

RR- 2 066 Tmm m E N 00 W H H INEO E w U M E M by Sparrow 0nd Sparrow ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent C 3,393,405 CLERICAL GARMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Morton Hollinger, 252 Gienbrook Road 06906, and Eugene Hollinger, Strawberry Hill 06902, both of Stamford, Conn., and Max Hollinger, 325 King St., Port Chester, N.Y. 10573 Filed Mar. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 536,460 13 Claims. (Cl. 2-429) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clerical garment with a fly-front and a shirt topcenter piece on the fly-front; a stand-up or military-style collar on the garment, which has a front opening between the two front ends, which is narrower than the top center piece. The top of the fly-front with the top-center piece is finished off to provide the bottom part of the front opening. The stand-up collar formed as a channel for inserting the ends of a separate white collar.

This invention relates to clerical garments in general, and more particularly to a garment having a military collar with a narrow step or front opening, such as worn by Catholic and/ or other clergy.

According to the prior art, clerical shirts have been provided with military style collar comprising outer and inner layers with overlapping tabs forming a neckband, the layers providing front openings therebetween within which openings a separate white collar insert is positioned with a portion thereof exposed in the step or front opening between the spaced front ends of the collar. In such shirt, one of the overlapping tabs is attached to the front top edge of the fly-front. This construction is not objectionable when a wide step or front opening is used such as in a garment worn by the Anglican clergy. The present invention, however, deals with a shirt adapted for use by clergy, such as the Catholic clergy, where custom requires a step or front opening which is narrower than the conventional top-center piece or member disposed over the front of a shirt. In such case, it would not be feasible to use overlapping tabs, one being attached to the upper edge of the top-center piece or member, since it would then not be possible to close the top of the front of the shirt, nor position the separate white collar insert.

The invention has as one of its objects the provision of a clerical garment having a fly-front with shirt top-center piece or member and a military collar, the top of the fly-front with top-center member being finished off to provide the bottom part of the step or front opening formed between the ends of the collar, when the fly portion of the garment is in closed position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clerical garment having a military style slotted collar with a narrow step or front opening between the ends of the collar and a fiy-front whereby it is possible with little effort and facility to slide the ends of the separate white collar insert member into the collar slots, the fly-front permitting the top portion of the garment to be spread for such purpose and the spread portions to be returned to initial position for giving the garment its clerical appearance.

In existing clerical garments where a separate front white collar insert is employed in the military style collar with overlapping tabs forming the neckband, if it were necessary to adapt the garment for certain clerical use, such as for the Catholic clergy where a narrower step is required, difiiculty would be experienced in positioning the insert since the top of the shirt would first have ice to be closed before the insert could be positioned in the collar.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a shirt having a collar which is readily adapted for use by Catholic clerics and the like.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide in a garment an economical and neat-appearing collar which is adapted in a simple and facile manner for Catholic clerical use.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide in a Catholic clerical garment a collar having a removable. front collar insert adapting it for its intended use.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for producing the aforementioned garment.

Various further and more specific objects, purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and which illustrate merely by way of example an embodiment incorporating the invention. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a fragment of the centerpiece of a clerical garment, such as a shirt;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the centerpiece in the process of being folded over at its frontal portion;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the folded portion hemmed;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front view in perspective of a top-center member employable in the invention;

FIG. 5 shows the top-center member stitched to the centerpiece portion of the shirt;

FIG. 6 shows the folded hemmed portion of FIG. 3 folded over to a position adjacent the stitched top-center member of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows the folded over folded hemmed portion of FIG. 6 now being folded over the top-center member;

FIG. 8 shows at (a) the folded portions of FIG. 7 in superimposed position against the top-center member and at (b) a front view of the same with a transverse stitch connecting together the top of the folded over material and top-center member;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective views depicting steps of the material seen in FIG. 8 being turned inside out along the top stitch line;

FIG. 10a is a perspective view of the superimposed topcenter member stitched to and pressed into position over the folded material of the frontal portion of the centerpiece;

FIG. 11 illustrates the first step in making a collar according to the invention, the narrower lining layer stitched to the body layer;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary detail illustrating the layers turned inside out;

FIG. 13 at (a) is a view similar to FIG. 12 with lower longitudinal marginal portion of the body layer folded against and hemmed to lining layer, and at (b) is a perspective fragmentary view of FIG. 13 folded along a longitudinal line;

FIG. 14 is a perspective fragmentary view of the folded collar layers of FIG. 13(b) with the unfolded marginal portion of the collar body layer and lining stitched to the inside of the shirt at its top and adjacent the folded down stitched underlying folded section of shirt used for buttonholes or other releasable fasteners;

FIG. 15 is a perspective fragmentary view of the raised collar stitched to the centerpiece portion of the shirt;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of a collar insert for the front of the collar;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the upper front portion of the shirt with collar attached;

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 17, with the front insert for the collar in position;

FIG. 19 is a schematic of the top portion of a shirt according to the invention; and

FIGS. 20, 21, 22 and 23 are views of an alternate construction of a clerical garment such as a shirt, according to the invention.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. l-l9 of the drawings, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, numeral 20 indicates the centerpiece of a clerical garment, such as a shirt, made of fabric or any other suitable material. A notch Ztle is provided for a purpose hereinafter explained. Centerpiece 20 is folded along fold lines 18, 19 and then down to provide superimposed sections 20a and 2012, which as shown in FIG. 3, are hemmed by stitching 21. FIG. 4 illustrates a top-center member 22. which is folded along fold lines 22a and 22b. The top-center member 22 is stitched to centerpiece 20 by means of stitching 23 and 2.4 at a predetermined distance from folded sections 20a, such that when centerpiece section 20a is folded over portion 2% of centerpiece 20, it is flush with topcenter member 22, as shown in FIG. 6. The folded over sections 28a and 200 are now superimposed over the topcenter member 22. and, in this folded over condition the folded over sections 20a and 200, the top-center member 22 and the portion 20d of centerpiece 20 are stitched together at the top by means of the transverse stitching 25; with respect to stitching 24, an additional notch 20f is made on top-center member 22 to coincide with notch 20c with respect to transverse stitching 25; as indicated at (b) in FIG. 8. The thus stitched folded layers 20a, 20b, 200 of centerpiece 20 are together then turned inside out against the back of section 20d of centerpiece 20, the topcenter member 22 thus now being exposed (FIGS. 9 and 10). Notch 20c now forms a raw edge at the top of centerpiece 20 which extends beyond finished top of top-center member 22 for attachment of the military style collar 50 as shown in FIG. 14. A fiy 26 is thus formed at the front of the shirt under top-center piece 22, in which buttonholes 27 are formed through folded sections 20a and 20b of centerpiece 20. Buttonholes 27 are adapted to engage buttons (not shown) provided on front panel or button-piece 28 (FIGS. 17 and 18). It is understood that other fastening means may be used in lieu of buttons and buttonholes. Top-center member 22 at its outer margin is secured to the inside section 20c of centerpiece 20 (that is, to the inside part of the underneath fold) by stitches 29 which coincide with stitches 24.

FIGS. 11 to 18 show the construction of the clerical military style collar and its attachment to the body of the shirt. FIG. 11 illustrates the first step in making the clerical collar according to the invention. Upon the outer fabric layer 30, which is preferably of material similar to that of the shirt body, there is laid a lining 31 of suitable material. Lining 31 is substantially of the same length as fabric 30, but is narrower at its lower longitudinal side, providing a section 30a devoid of the lining. Lining 31 is stitched at its lateral edges to fabric 30 by means'of stitching 32 and 33. Layers 30 and 31 are now turned inside out providing folds 34, 35. Portion 30a of fabric body 30 is folded against the longitudinal edge 31a and seamed thereto by stitching 36. Fabric body 30 and lining 31 are now folded along an intermediate line as indicated by numeral 37 in (b) of FIG. 13. The now folded collar at its longitudinal side portion 38 is stitched to the inside of the yoke panel, not shown, and the button piece 28 and centerpiece 20 by line of stitching 39 as indicated in FIG. 14. The folded over longitudinal section 40 is seamed at the front outside of the shirt and corner of top-center member 22 by means of stitching 39a as indicated in FIG. 15. In order words, the collar in its folded condition is stitched to the top edge of the shirt at both the outer and inner edge portions of the shirt with the edge 42 of the shirt interposed between the folds 38, 40 of the collar. As seen in FIGS. 17 and 18, the front edges of the collar are spaced apart, the spacing being that used in Catholic clerical garments. Thus, a tunnel or pocket is provided in the collar having the oppositely-disposed openings 45, 46 for the reception of the end portions of collar insert 51. It is to be noted that the spacing 47 between the openings 45 and 46 is less than the width of top-center member 22.

By the aforementioned construction, a clerical shirt with attached military style collar has been provided with a finished-off bottom of the step or front opening 47 formed by the seamed top 43 of the top-center member and fryfront, and the top 44 of the underlying portion of the button-piece or panel, thus producing a shirt with bottom part of the step necessary for a type of military style collar used by Catholic clergymen. This shirt can now be closed after the ends of the collar insert 51 have been inserted in the facing openings 45, 46 of the collar 50.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided by this invention a clerical shirt comprising a body having a back section 52 and side sections 20 and 28 connected to said back section 52, side sections 20 and 28 extending to the front of the garment in overlapping relation at their frontal portions generally indicated by numeral 53 in FIG. 19; a substantially circular neck Opening 54 being formed by back section 52 and overlapping side sections 20 and 28, frontal portion 53 constituting a fly-front comprising the top member 20d, bottom member consisting of layers 20a, 20b underlying top member 20d, and a member 200 intermediate top member 20d and bottom'rnembers 20a, 20b, the intermediate member 200 having its inner longitudinal edge connected to the inner longitudinal edge of bottom layers 20a, 20b by a fold line and its outer longitudinal edge connected to the outer longitudinal edge of top member 20d by a fold line, a top-center member 22 secured to top member 26d, the tops of the top, bottom, intermediate and topcenter members being connected together by a transverse line of stitching 25; the other side section 28 having a front portion 44 underlying the fly-front, the latter being separable from the front portion 44 of side section 28, a stand-up folded collar 54) constituted of parts 38, 40 and lining 31 (FIG. 13(b)), at neck opening 55 having its fold line 37 at its top and being stitched at its bottom to back 52 and side section 20, 28 in such manner that there is provided a front opening 55 in collar 50' between the free ends 45, 46 thereof above overlapping portions of the side sections at the front of the shirt, opening 55 in collar 50 being narrower than the width of top-center member 22, the free ends 45, 46 of the collar extending over a portion of top-center member 22, the top of the fly-front and top-center member, and preferably its underlying portion of side portion 28 providing a finished-off bottom of the step or front opening 55 in the collar band when the fly-front and its underlying portion of side portion 28 are in overlapped position, the collar constituting a flat tubular collar 50 with slot openings at the free ends 45, 46 of the collar of said band, and a flexible collar insert longer than front opening 55 and adapted to be inserted in slot openings 45, 46 and span front opening 55 in collar 50.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 20, 21, 22 and 23 of the drawings which disclose the invention in an alternate or modified form, wherein the intermediate member 200 is eliminated and thus the construction of the clerical garment is simplified and more economically produced.

Numeral 63 indicates the centerpiece of a clerical garment, such as a shirt made of fabric or any other suitable material. The lateral end portion of centerpiece 63 is folded over the adjacent portion or member 63a sufficient to provide the sections or members 60, 61 divided by the line of stitches 62, the latter securing the former to portion 63a. Section or member 61 is made wider than section or member 60. Section 61 is folded over section 60 along stitchline 62 as seen in FIG. 21. Top center member 64 is sewn to section 61 by the parallel lines of stitches 64a and 64b. When folded flat against section 60, the vertical margins of section 61 and top center member 64 protrude or extend over the fold line 60a (left of FIGS. 20 and 21).

It will be observed from FIG. 22 that the top center member 64 extends above centerpiece 63 and has a vertical slit 65 which extends below the top of centerpiece 63. Top centerpiece 64 with sections or members 60, 61 and 63a together are folded back at their upper ends 67 and secured in that position by the line of stitches 66 (FIG. 23). The collar is stitched to the extended edges 64c and 63a of top centerpiece 64 and centerpiece 63, top 67a being thus provided forming a finished-off bottom of the step or front opening at the front of the collar when attached. Buttonholes 68 may be provided for complementary engagement with buttons or other fastener means provided on the buttonpiece or panel (see FIG.

Having described the invention and illustrated its advantages, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

We claim:

1. A clerical shirt comprising a body having a back section and side sections connected to said back section, said side sections extending to the front of the garment in overlapping relation at their frontal portions, a substantially circular neck opening being formed by said back section and overlapping side sections; one of said frontal portions constituting a fly-front comprising a top member, a bottom member underlying said top member, and a member intermediate said top member and said bottom member, said intermediate member having its inner longitudinal edge connected to the inner longitudinal edge of said bottom layer by a fold line and its outer longitudinal edge connected to the outer longitudinal edge of said top member by a fold line; a top-center member secured to said top member; said top, bottom, intermediate and topcenter members being connected together at their tops; the other of said side sections having a front portion underlying said fly-front, said fiy-front being separable from said front portion of said other of said side sections; a stand-up folded collar at said neck opening having its fold line at its top and being stitched at its bottom to said back and said side sections in such manner whereby there is provided a front opening in said collar between the free ends thereof above said overlapping portions of said side sections at the front of the shirt, the top of said fly-front and said top-center member providing a bottom for said opening in said collar when said fly-front and said underlying portion of said other of said side portions are in overlapped position, said stitched collar constituting a flat tubular collar with slot openings at said free ends of said collar, and a flexible collar insert longer than said front opening of said collar, said collar insert being removably inserted in said slot openings and spanning said front opening of said collar.

2. A clerical shirt according to claim 1, wherein said opening in said collar is narrower in width than the width of said top-center member.

3. A clerical shirt according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said free ends of said collar extends over said topcenter member when said fly-front is in closed position.

4. A clerical shirt according to claim 3, wherein said opening in said collar is narrower in width than the width of said top-center member when said fly-front is in closed position.

5. A clerical shirt according to claim 1, wherein the portion of said collar insert when spanning said front opening is less in width than the width of said top-center member.

6. A clerical shirt according to claim 1, wherein said top, bottom, intermediate and top-center members are connected together at their tops by a transverse line of stitchmg.

7. Method of making a clerical shirt which comprises cutting from material a back section and two side sections, first and second, respectively, such that when each side section is connected to a side of the back section a substantially circular neck opening is provided; forming a fly-front from the frontal portion of said first side section by folding said frontal portion in such manner as to provide a top member, a bottom member underlying said top member and a member intermediate said top member and said bottom member; stitching a top-center member to said top member; securing said top, bottom, intermediate and top-center members together by stitching; connecting said first and second side sections to said back section in such manner that said fly-front of said first section is adapted to overlie a front portion of said second side section at the front of the shirt providing overlapping portions; stitching a stand-up folded collar to said back section and side sections at said neck opening in such manner that a tubular collar is formed with a front opening in said tubular collar between the free ends thereof above said overlapping portions of said side sections at the front of the shirt which is shorter in length than the width of said top-center member.

8. Method of making a clerical shirt according to claim 7, and inserting in the free ends of said tubular collar a collar insert whereby a portion of said insert is exposed at said front opening of said collar.

9. A clerical shirt comprising a body having a back section and side sections connected to said back section, said side sections extending to the front of the garment in overlapping relation at their frontal portions, a substantially circular neck opening being formed by said back section and overlapping side sections; one of said frontal portions constituting a fly-front comprising a top member, a bottom member underlying said top member, and a member intermediate said top member and said bottom member, said intermediate member and said top member being connected to said bottom member by a longitudinal line of stitches substantially at the inner longitudinal edges of said intermediate and top members, said intermediate member having its outer longitudinal edge connected to the outer longitudinal edge of said bottom member, a top-center member secured to said top member; said top, bottom, intermediate and top-center members being connected together at their upper portions adjacent said neck opening; the other of said sections having a front portion underlying said fly-front, said fly-front being separable from said front portion of said other of said side sections; a stand-up folded collar at said neck opening having its fold line at its top and being stitched at its bottom to said back and said side sections in such manner whereby there is provided a front opening in said collar between the free ends thereof above said overlapping portions of said side sections at the front of the shirt, the top of said fly-front and said top-center member providing a bottom for said opening in said collar when said fiy-front and said underlying portion of said other of said side portions are in overlapped position, said stitched collar constituting a fiat tubular collar with slot openings at said free ends of said collar, and a flexible collar insert longer than said front opening of said collar, said collar insert being removably inserted in said slot openings and spanning said front opening of said collar.

10. A clerical shirt according to claim 9, wherein said opening in said collar is narrower in width than the Width of said top-center member, when said fly-front is in closed position.

11. A clerical shirt according to claim 9, wherein the length of the exposed portion of said collar insert when spanning said front opening in less than the width of said top-center member, when said fiy-front is in closed position 12. Method of making a clerical shirt which comprises cutting from material a back section and two side sections, first and second, respectively, such that when each side section is connected to a side of the back section a substantially circular neck opening is provided; forming a fly-front from the frontal portion of said first side section by folding said frontal portion in such manner as to provide superimposed layers; stitching a top-center member to the top layer of said superimposed layers; securing said member and layers together adjacent said neck opening; connecting said first and second side sections to said back section in such manner that said flyfront of said first section is adapted to overlie a front portion of said second side section at the front of the shirt providing overlapping portions; stitching a stand-up folded collar to said back section and side sections at said neck opening in such manner that a tubular collar is References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,166,342 7/1939 David 2-116 2,313,521 3/1943 DiIuglio 2128 2,607,921 8/1952 Jones 2-128 3,068,486 12/1962 Gleeson 2-129 3,110,901 11/1963 Lesnow 2-96 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

20 JAMES R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

